K-Line Porter TMCC Conversion Project

Nice.  Makes me want to look into adding TMCC to my Lionel 0-6-0 Dockside.  Although I don't have any CAB units...

Do you have sound too?

Thats a pretty neat little project nice work John, but the pictures are simply a tease how about some video.

No sound, that would be cool. There are very limited sound options for TMCC nowadays, basically the only off-the-shelf is the RailSounds Commander from ERR, and that's way too large for this project.  I've often thought of trying to create a small sound package that would at least give you basic sounds, say the whistle and bell.  Too bad they discontinued that module from ERR, it could probably be half the size it was now.

There is a lot more room in the Lionel Dockside 0-6-0, I managed to put TMCC into the locomotive on that one, there was no way to fit it into this one, the space above the boiler is the only open space, and it's much smaller than the smallest TMCC package!  I almost had space for the ERR Sound Commander single board in the Dockside, but it was about 1/4" too large for the space I had.

Wow John,

   What a fantastic project, it came out awesome. There's only one thing missing.

A short video of  this awesome project  in operation. Please you must post one.

Well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Alex

I'm working on the video, but the idiots at Youtube have made that service unusable unless you sign up for Google+.  I do NOT want that useless service!

I tried uploading a short clip here, let's see if this works.

This is just a teaser video.

Not too impressive, it's just sitting there.  I guess this site doesn't host videos well, let's try PhotoBucket.

http://s726.photobucket.com/al...ovie_zps2812ba37.mp4

Nice work John,

This is "Legacy challenged Steve".  The TMCC on the Porter is great.  I recognize the little tender from a DC 0-4-0 Dockside engine?  Anyway, can you describe install of fan driven smoke unit also, components, etc.  I am thinking of doing one for a Lionel General locomotive.  Your info might help.  I second posting of video if possible.

TEX

Steve

Thanks guys.  The fan driven smoke is a feature of the Porter, so I didn't have to install it. I just repacked it with a new wick and changed the resistor from the 42 ohm one to a standard 27 ohm one.  I didn't want to go lower for more smoke as the Mini Commander 2 only has a TO-92 smoke triac, so it's somewhat limited in it's power handling capability.

I will say if you're planning on doing one of these, allocate plenty of time for taking the locomotive apart and doing the wiring.  What a PITA that little thing is!  I bought this "well used" and with the reverse unit already removed, but there is only a tiny amount of space for the smallest of PC boards in the top of the boiler over the smoke unit.  The smoke unit is an odd affair, like nothing I've ever seen in any other locomotive.  I also had to fabricate a couple of small parts, the little blocks on the side that the pipes from the top of the boiler come through were missing.  A tiny chunk of plastic, some really tiny holes, some super glue, and a bit of wire for the pin and they dropped right in.

I don't know about smoke for the General, I believe it has a puffer, right?  I'm sure there's space for sound and all in the General, the tender is larger than this one.  I put a PS/2 conversion into the MTH General, but it has fan driven smoke, so I didn't have to add that there either.

The first video worked. It just took a while to buffer. Great project John. The tender fits very well with the engine.

Outstanding!

Excellent project showing a great application for the mini Commander. A great "how to" John, well done!

The video played just fine on my iMac, John!  How about a how-to for our magazine readers?  Looks like a great project that many Porter or owners of other small locomotives could benefit from.

Great job and it's perfect for the loco. Thanks for sharing. Terry

John,

Nice job. In your pics, it looks like the center roller in the tender may be hitting your wiper blade. Careful!

Thanks guys.   Pat at Pat's Trains came through with the tender, it was a great fit.  I've had the Porter for some time, just never found a tender that fit with it until now.

Not to worry Hugh, the roller would have to travel way up to hit the wheel wiper, far more than normal operation, I did check the clearance.  I thought about putting some insulation on the wiper, but it hasn't happened yet.  It comes close on the mounting block at the sides, but there's about 1/8" clearance, sufficient for 18 volts.

Allan, I thought about more detail, but that's after the Porter was all back together.  Taking that apart again for pictures didn't seem that attractive an option, those things a a bit of a PITA to work on!  K-Line had some great stuff, but I think many of their smaller units were not made to be maintained.  I had one of the Plymouth switchers once and thought about doing a conversion on that one, but just taking it partially apart changed my mind.

I don't know why, but I'm a sucker for the small motorized units of all descriptions.  I have several speeders I've installed TMCC into, one of the RMT ones and one of the Lionel ones. 

Hi John,

That really looks awesome, very well done

Thanks,

Alex

Thanks Alex, means a lot coming from such a craftsman.

My last "fix" is to add a layer of real coal over the lid to the tender, I haven't gotten to that yet.

John:  I, like you, am a fan of critters.  And, I agree that some/most of the small stuff is a P.I.T.A. to take apart and re-assemble.

Here's my solution to the how-to article:  Do another conversion!  Should be easier the second time around!     

No problem Allan!  As soon as the Porter and tender show up, I'll get started on it.

I've thought of constructing a "radio car" for my trio of Plymouths, using one of those Industrial Rail ore cars. I could then convert the existing tethers to supply the motors coming from the TMCC unit rather than directly from their own pickup rollers.

---PCJ

Nice build John! May I make a suggestion for the sound issue...maybe you could find a lionel steam sound boxcar and use that board and a small speaker?! 

No problem Allan!  As soon as the Porter and tender show up, I'll get started on it.

 

I don't have a spare Porter, John, but I can fix you up with a K-Line Boxcab.  One of those might make a fine switching locomotive with TMCC installed.

No problem Allan!  As soon as the Porter and tender show up, I'll get started on it.

 

I don't have a spare Porter, John, but I can fix you up with a K-Line Boxcab.  One of those might make a fine switching locomotive with TMCC installed.

No problem Allan!  As soon as the Porter and tender show up, I'll get started on it.

 

I don't have a spare Porter around, John, but could probably fix you up with a K-Line Boxcab.  One of those might make a dandy switching locomotive with TMCC installed.

Heck, if it's a diesel John wants all he'd need would be a chassis and he could build his own body...just to make it different, but RMT is due out somewhat soon with their boxcab...I'm not keen on the body style, but that's just me..

I suspect fitting the stuff into a Boxcab would be a whole lot easier than into that Porter.  You should be able to install sound as well in the boxcab as well, that would be a nice little unit.

There was no hope of fitting anything remotely close to the size of the Mini Commander 2 into the Porter, there flat is NO room.  The reverse unit that comes with them is about the size of a quarter and fits in the top of the boiler over the smoke unit.  Of course, the tender was a natural anyway, we need fuel, right?

I'd love to have sound in the porter, but I had the RailSounds Commander and the Mini Commander out and tried to figure out how to fit it.  No chance at all!

Bob, the issue with sound is that it has to be TMCC compatible, since the object of the exercise is a command equipped locomotive.   The only things that are around are the RailSounds Commander and the old and not in production Sound Commander.  I might be able to squeeze a Sound Commander in, but I haven't seen one for a long time for sale.

Hi John,

Cool project and nice work!

I would like to make one suggestion.  I noticed the pick-up roller you added to the tender is a K-Line roller.  These rollers are notorious for loosing their spring tension, which makes them far less effective.  The cause is from track power flowing through the spring, heating it up, and annealing the metal.  The solution, and my suggestion, is to relocate your pick-up wire to the sprung arm of the roller.  This bypasses the spring and will ensure reliable operation.

Good idea Dave.  I'll give that some thought.  One bonus here is this is only one of the three pickup rollers, and the whole rig typically draws about 1/3 amp, so I'm fairly safe.

This might be a really good suggestion for some of my bigger K-Line stuff, as they have similar rollers!

Actually, 1/3 amp is enough to cause problems in this case.  Most of the K-Line cabooses draw a 1/3 amp or less and still have trouble.  It's a simple enough little thing to change and can save a headache down the road, so I thought I'd mention it.

Have fun with Porter!

Ah, forgot about the compatibility issues...sorry. Somebody needs to come up with a decent sound board that works on DCS, TMCC and conventional...

Well, DCS packages have the sound build-in, so I'd be happy with one that works for TMCC conversions.

I keep thinking about taking a stab at one...

Here is what I had to do to work sound into a Rich Yoder GE 44 tonner. The capacitors had to be removed from the sound board and installed separately. Tight fit for both the drive and sound board. I used small pieces of styrene sheet as insulation from the metal body.  You also had to make space for a speaker.
Speaker installed in one of the end nose sections of the model

ERR sound board.  Note where the Capacitor(s) were mounted, (4) black shrink tubes middle to bottom left.

Capacitors mounted in the other nose opposite the speaker pictured before.

Click on the following link to access a test video.
http://s175.photobucket.com/us...html?sort=3&o=83

Great job John, maybe some Elmer's on the coal load then a layer of real coal would really make the tender really pop!

Thanks for the suggestion Paul, that's already in my plans.  I have the materials located, just have to pick them up and apply the "finishing touch".

John and Dave

Here is how I solved the spring problem on K-line cars.